What is the name of the elderly resident who often sits in the lounge?

The elderly resident who often sits in the lounge is Major Gowen. Played by Ballard Berkeley, Major Gowen is a permanent resident of Fawlty Towers and one of the hotel’s recurring supporting characters.

He is portrayed as an amiable but slightly senile old soldier. Basil treats him with unusual patience, partly because Major Gowen is one of the few people at the hotel toward whom Basil regularly shows tolerance. The character’s military background is deliberately vague: the series hints at his service and references his presence in France in 1918, but never firmly identifies which war he served in.

Major Gowen appears in many episodes, often seated in the lounge or joining conversations that have already become confused. His rambling comments and outdated attitudes add another layer to the hotel’s comic disorder. Viewers sometimes confuse his rank with “Colonel” or “Captain,” but the character is specifically Major Gowen. Ballard Berkeley also appeared in both series, helping make the resident part of the hotel’s familiar background.